Nadal too good in inaugural The Meteorite

Jockey Ethan Brown expects Nadal to rise to better company after he blew his rivals away in the inaugural running of The Meteorite at Cranbourne.

The $1 million race on Saturday is one of two slot races run by Southside Racing, four weeks apart.

Southside Racing was borne out of the merging of the Cranbourne Turf Club and the Pakenham Racing Club and the $1 million The Supernova (1400m), the second slot race will be run at Pakenham on December 21.

Ciaron Maher Racing purchased a slot in the series and relied on Nadal to give them a major slice of the prize money.

Nadal ($4.40) lived up to his part under Ethan Brown when he produced an explosive turn of foot in recording a 2-¾ length win from Rey Magnerio ($6) with the $3 betting sites favourite Baraqiel a short-half-head away third.

Brown was concerned pre-race with barrier 10, but the jockey allowed the sprinter to balance up and ride for luck.

“It looked quick on paper, and I did want to be a bit closer, but they kept up that genuine gallop which pushed us a pair further back,” Brown said.

“I just rode back inside as they started fanning around the corner, I thought we can’t loop them.

“I gave him a click, and he was right there for me, a gap presented and off he went. That was a good win, and rates much better than his win at Caulfield the other day.”

Nadal won a benchmark 78 race at Caulfield two starts back before rising to Listed grade when just behind the placegetters at Flemington last time out.

But Brown said Nadal rose to a new level on Saturday and is looking forward to 2025 with the sprinter.

“He’s very talented and he’s in the right stable,” Brown said.

“They’ll put him through his grades and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him in a Stakes race and the horses he beat there, it just puts the writing on the wall, doesn’t it.

“The feeling he gave me was terrific, and I’d like to stay on his back.”